SENShobo
Ottawa Ready To Take On The Champs
by SENShobo on 10/09/08 at 03:34 PM ET
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While many have their focus on the game tonight between one storied franchise with a good chance of repeating as Cup champion and another with a good chance of extending its franchise record non-playoff streak, my focus is already on another game. Saturday night, after what is (almost) certain to be a glorious victory under their newest banner, the Detroit Red Wings will be the first guest of the season at Scotiabank Place.
The last time the Red Wings faced the Senators, they were the steady powerhouse, while Ottawa was easing into their downward spiral that would mar their early season dominance. That game held many special moments, both ones in which to bask, and others to be wary of.
That night Steve Yzerman was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame, and the game was billed as a potential Stanley Cup Finals preview. Despite the Wings being the class of the League, and Hasek having led them to back-to-back shutout wins, Ottawa struck early on a tally by Alfie, and opened up a two goal lead in the second thanks to Fisher.
The good times would not last, as Heatley injured himself checking Drake in the third period, leading to his first missed game and eventually first missed 50-goal, 100+ point season in an Ottawa uniform. Following that dark spot, both Rafalski and Hudler would score to tie the game. With only a few minutes left though, Alfie would finish what he started by scoring the game-winning goal, on a holding penalty against fellow captain and Swede Lidstrom no less.
“We didn’t feel we played like we could tonight, for whatever reason, through 40 minutes so you’ve got to give them a lot of credit,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “There’s two parts - there’s your part and their part and they were quicker, more physical and more determined at the start and I thought we got going, but in the end it was their day.”
That may be the key this time around too. Nobody is going to doubt the skill the team has, but two of their grittier players, Cleary McCarty and Chelios, will be out with injuries. Maybe lack of grit won’t doom them as much as pundits claimed it doomed us, but it’s a start. Not only that, but after six very intense games, Ruutu should be more than a little familiar with the Wings, perhaps able to stir up some trouble of his own.
In the pre-season, you would probably declare Detroit (6-1-2) the victor over Ottawa (4-2-0), and yet both still only won two thirds of their games. Detroit scored 3.11 G/G while allowing only 1.89 GA/G, definitely more impressive than Ottawa’s 2.33 G/G and 2.00 GA/G, which follows last season where Detroit led the West in goals and the League in goals against, while Ottawa let in nearly as many goals as they scored (one behind League-leading Montreal).
But should that worry Ottawa fans? At most they should be prepared for anything. Nobody would call Osgood or Conklin slouches, but they have been comparable to both Gerber and Auld over many a stretch. If you draw Osgood away from the 23.5 shots a game Detroit allowed him last season, and closer to the 30 shots Ottawa put out, you get a fighting chance. Gerber may have faltered in his only game this season (while looking solid in his pre-season matches), but he was 4th to Osgood’s 1st place finish in playoff Sv%, while facing 40 shots a night behind Ottawa’s crumbling defence, a testament to his skill.
You can shine on Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Hossa’s skill, would you fear them any more than Alfie, Heatley, and Spezza? We’ve twice now faced the (slightly changed) team that was a missed shot and one last game away from toppling Detroit, and if not for a night of fluke goals would have walked away with two wins and four points instead of three, and there’s still a chance that we can add one of our best two-way forwards to that lineup if Fisher heals, not that he should be rushed. We boast four players on a point-per-game pace, and in all respects are a better team than when we last beat the Wings on the scoresheet, on paper, and in the dressing room.
All we have to fear is fear itself. Detroit may go the distance yet again, but they will not go 82-0-0. They may be among the leaders in goals for and goals against, but they will be shut out and blown out this season. They have every right to be confident, and yet there will be quotes from post game interviews that are anything but shining. It will at times rain on Detroit’s parade this season, and there’s no reason Ottawa can’t be that stormy weather. Saturday night, whether you’re at Scotiabank Place or not, make game time your time to make it boom with thunderous noise.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators | SENShobo | Permalink
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